Rat-trap.



A. R. PETERSON.

RAT TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1914.

Patented Sept. 8,1914.

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ALBERT R. PETERSON, 0F MINDEN, NEBRASKA.

RAT-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

Application filed March 27, 1914. Serial No. 82?,833.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT R. Pnrnnson, acitizen of the United States, residing at Minden, in the county ofKearney and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Rat-Trap;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful rat trap.

An object of the invention is the provision of a downwardly spring trapmember held in a normal raised position by a weight member, which notonly acts as a weight or gravity member, but is also extended forwardlyon the trap member and terminates in means to receive the bait. However,in some instances the trap member is provided with a rod movabletherewith having segmental curved portion passing through the top of thebody of the trap forming a guide for the coiled weighted end of thegravity member. This rod only moves with the trap member for a partialdistance, then the trap member moves independently. In this way the baiton the end of the curved segmental rod is lowered farther toward thetrap opening, so that on further movement of the trap member theweighted coil of the gravity device will dislocate or lmock the bait oifthe end of the curved segmental portion of the rod, said bait fallingthrough the trap opening with the rat. The rat in nibbling on the baitof the segmental portion of the rod will assist in operating the trapmember, as will be found, and being that the bait will tend to move atthe same time the trap member lowers, the rat will be unconscious as tothe fact that the trap member is lowering with ,him, therefore will notendeavor to escape.

In some instances as shown in the drawings, the weight member performstwo functions, namely as a gravity member for closing the trap member,and as a bait attach ing member.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 there are two bait attaching members, one isthe segmental rod, and the other is one end of the gravity member.

In practical fields the details ofconstruction may be subjected toalterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, ashereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the trap constructedin accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22of Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines the abnormal position of the trapmember. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a form of trap, in which thesegmental rod is eliminated.

Referring more especially to the drawing 1 designates the body orinclosure ofthe trap, which in Figs. 1 and 2 at one end upon the topthereof is provided with side flanges Throughout all the views of thedrawings the bodyof the trap at one end is conssructed withperpendicular guides 3 for the sliding closure a, which is designed'tobe raised for removing the animal or rat. The flanges :2 constituteguard'members to prevent the rat or animal from reaching the bait fromthe rear. The body member 1 is constructed with a plurality of aperturesor perforations 5 in order to permit of proper circulation of air.

Mounted in cars 6 of the body member is a rod 7, on which the trapmember 8 is pivoted. This trap member when closed, as shown in Figs. 1and 2 is arranged flush with the upper surface 9 of the body 1. To allowthe trap member to fit flush with the upper surface of the body memberthe rear portion 10 of the trap member seats in a recess 11 of the uppersurface or top 9 of the body 1. Projecting downwardly and slightlyforwardly of the recessed part of the top of the body member is a flange12, which slightly yields when the trap member lowers. When the weightof the ratupon the trap member is relieved, the flange 12 rebounds toits normal position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, acting to assistin returning the trap member to its normal po sition.

As shown in'Figs. 1 and 2 a rod 13 is secured at 11to the part 10 of thetrap member. One end of this red 18 terminates in a weighted coil 15,while the other end of the rod terminates in a projection 16 to receivea b ll hen the rat or anin tiu rap member, the same and the rat tall thebody eptacle of the trap, the coil e acting; to return the trap memberto its normal position. cared to the rod '7 i terminating in a segmentalporch through the ceptaclc- 1 and also member ceive bait.

As shown in that the trap may thereby ofi ering a rat to crav. upon therat 6 unccnscio 1 and 2 it will be seen J8 boiled in two places. daleten'iptatlon for the t it Will be rap memin to the trap nenibor if moing vit rap member 8 to a partial distance. say for instance, until therat is quite Within the opening of: the member 1, which openiucontrolled by the trap member, then thu rap member vill moveindependently, in which case the gravity coils Will Cllfilfiilf' ,e baitat 90, the bait al o falling throu 1. r

In g. 3 the rod 1' mental coil will return the trap member to itsnoru'ial position slower.

l fhen the trap member 8 stai to move downwardly the gravity COll. 15contacts with a spring pro ection 19 u the segmental portion 19, therebycan tion 19 to move the same member 8 moves. tacts with the under sur :1

the receptacle, the Weight oi be rat upon the trap member 8 overcomesthe tension of the s )ring projection 19, causing: the gravity coil topush past the said projection 19% so as to permit the trap meml to moveto the position shown at (5 in dotted lines in i the pere the trap rod18 coir in top of Fig. 9.. it vvill be observed that -when toe trapmember 1s in this position. the

coil is in th act oi dislod ing the b The rod 18 and the member 8 are Tally mounted upon the rod 7, and after the rod 18 has ceased moving asthe member or platform 8 moves downwardly, by contacting with the underface of the upper wall of the casing, the member 8 is capable of furthermovement under pressure from the ive ht of the animal, so as to pushpast said SOJQC'tlOZl it, thereby permitting the memr platform 8 tocomplete its full move- After the n'ieinber or platform 8 has Lctcd itsfull n'zovement, and the animal is deposited or dropped in the casing ofthe trap, it wil be seen that: the platform or member 8 \1 ill easilyreturn to its normal position, thereby preventing the animal. fromescaping through the opening through which it entered. l-lowever, whenthe trap member or pla form 8 returns to its initial. position, the rod18 does not fully return to its normal position, and it is not essentialthat it should return to such normal position a" the time of trappingthe animal. The roe 18 may be set in its normal position manually at thetime of re 'ettingg; the trap.

The invention having been set forth, What claimed as new and useful is[in animal trap comprising a receptacle having a closure member at oneend and an opening in its top portion adjacent the opposite end, a trapmember pivoted adjacent "aid opening and adapted to swing there oilghinto said receptacle, a rod secured to the trap member having a gravityactuating member one end acting to close the trap member, and a baitttaching means at the other end.

closure member at one end and an opening in its top portion adjacent theop posit-e end, said receptacle having a recess in its top, a trapmember pivoted adjacent said opening and seated in said recess whenclosed, a rod carried by the trap member terininatiiis' at one end in aravit coil and a bait attaching means at the opposite end, a rod onwhich said trap member is pivoted, a rod connected to the pivot rod andhaving a segmental portion passing through the top of the receptacle andthrough the gravity coil and terminating in second bait attaching means,said segmen- "al portion acting as a guide for the coil and a guid forthe trap member.

8. A rattrap comprising a receptacle having a closure member at one endand an opening in its top portion adjacent the opposite end, saidreceptacle having arecess in its top, a trap member pivoted adjacentsaid opening and seated. in said recess when closed, a rod carried bythe trap member terminating at one end in a gravity coil, and a baitattaching means at the opposite end, a rod on which said trap member ispivoted, a rod connected to the pivot rod and having a segmental portionpassing through the top of the receptacle and through the gravity coiland terminating in a second bait a..taohing means, said segmentalportion acting a guide for the coil. and a guide for the trap member,said rod attached to the pivot rod acting to move with the name to thisspecification in the presence of trap member for ahpartial movement, andtWo subscribing Witnesses. means to permit t e trap member on itsfurther movement to move independently, ALBERT PETERSON 5 therebycausing the gravity coil to dislodge Witnesses:

the second bait. EDWIN CURTIS,

In testimony whereof I have signed my L. A. DASHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

